Ruelle had never seen the man before, yet he knew her name.

"I thought you had more pressing documents to attend to than revisiting an old treaty," Lucian said, his gaze settling on the elder minister, cold as frost.

She felt him guide her to the couch and have her sit beside him.

The elder minister replied, "With the treaty now in effect, there is little that could take priority. It is time we saw it through. Lord Azriel is in agreement." His eyes returned to the young woman and he added, "I believe it would be wise to address that before it becomes a matter of concern."

It was only after a second that Ruelle realised the minister was staring at the markings on her neck. She heard Lord Azriel ask Lucian,

"Is she aware of the treaty?"

"No," Lucian replied.

The elder minister’s thin eyebrows rose. He questioned, "Where are the Belmonts? I thought she was already informed, especially with the soul bond you gave her."

Ruelle hesitantly asked, "What treaty?" It felt as if everyone else knew what was happening, while she had no clue.

The minister didn’t waste time in explaining, "Twelve years ago, your family and the Slaters were selected to fulfil a treaty intended to benefit both our kinds. A marriage between you and Lucian—"

What? Ruelle blinked at the old man’s words.

"—unfortunately, your family could not be located after the war broke out, and the matter was allowed to lapse," the minister continued evenly. "It has now been restored. With the consent of both families and my own, the treaty now stands in effect once again."

A faint frown came to form on Ruelle’s face as she tried to process the minister’s words. The treaty King Septimus mentioned last night, the signature her father spoke of this morning... they were talking about this? And to think all this time she had been worrying about turning into someone’s mistress.

Her parents hadn’t uttered a word about it as if they had forgotten it. She and Lucian. It felt surreal and she turned to look at Lucian, noticing him already watching her.

The door to the study room opened.

"I wasn’t aware we were having a family meeting," remarked Dane, entering the room with languid grace. A smile appeared on his face when he caught Ruelle’s neck. "A little too early to be crashing in, Minister Carnifex."

"Mm," the minister hummed in response. "We were discussing about the treaty."

Brother Dane knew about it too, the thought dawned in Ruelle’s mind. No wonder he had always treated her well and had gone so far as to bring her to the Slaters’ mansion.

Ruelle then saw the minister briefly nod before he pulled a bronze locket on a chain from his coat. Just as he raised his hand, the woman who had been quietly standing at the back came next to him and collected it in her hand.

"I need to have your blood agreement. Both of you."

The chain was brought to Ruelle and she took it. The metal was cold against her palm and turning it around, she pressed the sides for it to click open. Inside, a small needle waited at the centre.

With all eyes on her, Ruelle pressed her thumb to the needle. The prick was small but sharp enough to let her know all of this was real. When she pulled back, two drops of blood welled inside the locket, bright red against bronze.

Lucian then took it from her without hesitation. Then in a blink of an eye, the needle drew his blood, joining hers in the locket.

The minister took the locket back and as he slipped it back inside his pocket, he said with a tone of indifference,

"The marriage ceremony will be held within a month. It should be enough time for everything to be prepared."

A month? Ruelle’s eyes widened.

"Unless Miss Ruelle needs more time?" the minister added upon noticing her expression.

Things were moving so fast that she was glad that she was sitting right now as she received the news. She felt everyone’s eyes on her and she carefully replied,

"No, it isn’t that. I was just surprised by it." She just hadn’t thought about it happening this soon. But if they were going to get married one day, did time matter?

The minister then continued looking down at the copy of the treaty. He stated, "The next condition is to verify if we still have a pureblooded vampire and a human’s union. Peyton, bring the tubes."

A toll bell rang loud in Ruelle’s ears, as she wasn’t entirely human. Curious, she asked,

"What if I were turned into a halfling?"

"The treaty would still hold," Lucian said, taking her hand and checking the finger she had pricked. "Only those bound to it would change."

That meant there would be another human in place of her, thought Ruelle to herself.

Lucian turned to the minister, unruffled. He said,

"There’s no need to recheck our blood. You already know that I have a corrupted heart. So you won’t have the expected result. And neither will Ruelle’s as she’s been marked with my corruption."

Minister Carnifex paused to think about it, as he had already seen Lucian’s corruption in the past, as if understanding how the components worked with the blood.

"Alright."

Thank God, Ruelle whispered. This minister was reasonable as she felt a quiet relief. She hadn’t been prepared to be exposed as a witch yet.

"Moving to the more important conditions," the minister continued, while the woman who had brought the test tubes turned away. "Seeing how Miss Ruelle Belmont stayed in Sexton for such a long period of time and what is often taught and how it is taught. We will need to confirm her chastity."

Heat exploded across Ruelle’s face, burning with mortification at having her virginity discussed. Her mind went blank for a moment before she awkwardly replied,

"I think I will pass on that."

It wasn’t unheard of for the royal family’s bride-to-be checked, but—Wait, Ruelle thought. Lucian was related to the royal family.

"Minister Carnifex."

Lucian’s voice cut through her thoughts, his voice even, "The treaty concerns a union between us. There is no need to press further into unnecessary things." His gaze flicked briefly to her and he added, "She is not comfortable with it."

The minister’s expression turned grim, but the look in his eyes didn’t change. He answered,

"These are conditions that must be met. You would have read them when you insisted on having the treaty signed, Lucian. Surely, you did not expect me to overlook them. The reason why we went along with the young ones was for the very reason."

A muscle ticked in Lucian’s jaw. "And who, exactly, do you expect to confirm it?" he asked.

"It would be an experienced midwife. She is in her mid-fifties and has checked several royal family members. The examination will be quick."

Dane who was watching the minister and his brother lock down in a silent glare where neither was willing to budge, he remarked,

"One day in the future Ruelle will be assisted by midwives when she’s pregnant. But Lucian might want to help her himself," a chuckle escaping from his lips.

Minister Carnifex remained undeterred by Lucian’s darkening gaze. The old man had weathered worse storms than a Slater’s disapproval. He reasoned,

"The examination will take place in a safe place. We can have it done right here in the mansion."

Ruelle wished the floor would open and swallow her whole. Wishing for the subject to end, she asked,

"How quick will it be done?" Her voice came out smaller than intended.

"It shouldn’t be more than five minutes."

Five minutes to confirm whether she’d kept herself pristine for a future husband she hadn’t known existed. She gave a nod and murmured, "Okay."

It would be over quickly, she thought to herself. Turning to Lucian, she forced a quick smile to assure him she was fine. But his lips were set in a thin line, displeasure radiating from every line of his body.

Ruelle wondered if that was all, but the minister was still reading the parchment in his hand. She didn’t need another test.

"The last condition which is to be complied with. Clause four," Minister Carnifex stated rolling the copy of the treaty. Lucian’s eyes narrowed to dangerous slits from the aloof predator. The minister continued. "Until the wedding, Ruelle will stay with her family."

Silence fell in the room, where one could hear even a pin drop.

She couldn’t go and live with her family after everything that had gone down, Ruelle thought to herself.

Lucian’s finger lightly tapped on the surface of the couch before he spoke like silk concealing violence,

"Minister Carnifex, that will not be necessary. The Belmonts are no longer in a position to be found as they don’t have a roof of their own." After a pause, he added, "I would advise against placing her anywhere beyond my reach. It would be... unfortunate if anything were to happen to her."

Minister Carnifex’s mind raced behind those sharp eyes. The Belmonts didn’t have a roof? The last time he’d arranged this treaty, they’d been prospering. Comfortable family. Respectable enough to make the alliance with the Slaters.

"We are only following what is in the treaty. Or else Miss Belmont would have been staying with your family the minute the treaty was agreed to twelve years ago. It is important that she stay with a guardian and maintain distance."

Distance? Ruelle’s eyebrows rose. Did he mean Lucian and she—

"Is that another way of saying they aren’t supposed to get intimate?" Dane’s tone was light. Before he offered, "I am happy to be her guardian." The offer came with that particular smile which was helpful on the surface, mischievous beneath.

"Carnifex," Lord Azriel’s voice entered the conversation. He reasoned, "Lucian has only marked her. I doubt such harsh separation is ideal."

Lucian’s lips parted—the beginning of words already forming, the solution so obvious it barely needed stating. They could be married tomorrow. End this farce of conditions and confirmations.

But Ruelle deserved better than a hasty wedding. Not to mention, the minister would insist on protocols of announcements to be done.

When the minister’s eyes met Lucian’s gaze, it had gone beyond cold. Those wine-red eyes were darker now, corruption seeping at the edges. The minister rubbed his forehead as he calculated how much ground he could give here.

After much thought, the minister finally spoke, "Okay, she can stay in Slaters mansion. But my assistant, I believe you are familiar with her—" he paused.

The woman who had been assisting the elder minister bowed her head. The old vampire continued,

"Peyton will act as Miss Belmont’s guardian until the wedding. She will make sure the conditions are met."